1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a data protection systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for securing data volumes to a remote computer using journal volumes.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various organizations (e.g., small to large enterprises) accumulate large amounts of mission critical data. Within a typical computing environment, these organizations may employ a number of technologies to process, store, protect, recover, produce and secure mission critical data. These organizations may configure a plurality of computers with various software programs and hardware devices in order to operate effectively. For example, a computer may utilize an operating system and one or more related components to produce a platform through which several software applications (e.g., word processing software, email software, spreadsheet software and/or the like) cooperate with certain hardware devices, such as hard disk space, memory, network components, storage components and/or the like. Moreover, the typical computing environment may include one or more data storage systems for facilitating permanent storage, retrieval and transmission of the mission critical data throughout a computer network.
As an example, an organization may employ one or more data protection systems to backup and recover the mission critical data after a disaster or data corruption. Such data protection systems may continuously create and update copies of the mission critical data across a primary node and a backup node (e.g., a bunker) in order to prevent data loss and facilitate data recovery. Hence, the mission critical data is stored within one or more data volumes at the backup node. Some data protection systems also maintain real-time copies of the mission critical data at a remote node (e.g., a remote computer).
The synchronous replication of the data volumes between the primary node and the backup node consumes a significant amount of computer resources and technician time. In order to storing the mission critical data at the backup node, a system administrator must configure a considerable amount of storage space. Furthermore, the system administrator must configure additional storage for one or more journal volumes (e.g., Storage Replicator Log volumes) that indicate one or more file system operations associated with the data volumes. If a disaster destroys the primary node as well as the backup node, the system administrator must restore the mission critical data from the remote node.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for securing data volumes to the remote node using journal volumes without replicating the data volumes to the backup node.